Grave covering and lining device



Nov. 27,1928. 1,693,063

G. A. STARK GRAVE COVERING AND LINING DEVICE Filed July 25, 192'! 2 Sheets-Sheet. l

Nov. 27,1928; v 1,693,063

G. A. STARK GRAVE COVERING AND LINING DEVICE Filed July 25, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Nov. 27, 1928. if

' UNITED STATES i 1,693,063 PATENT OFFICE."

GUSTAF A. STARK, F ATWATER, MINNESOTA.

GRAVE COVERING AND LINING nnvron.

Application filed July 25,

148,349, respectively, filed November 15', 1926. I

It is more specifically the object of this invention to provide the'combination with a casket lowering device including side rollers, of means adapted normally toeXtend over a grave to conceal the same and pawl and ratchet mechanism for connecting said means with said rollers'to operate the same from said rollers as a casket is lowered into the grave by said device and to swing said means downwardly into the grave to line the walls of the same and to permit continued rotation of the rollers in respect to said means after the walls of the gravehave been lined thereby.

A further object is to provide the combina tion with a casket lowering device of means adapted to be swung downwardly into a grave as a casket is lowered therein by said device, shrouds extending over said means to line the walls of the graveas said means are. downwardly swung, and apparatus for so positioning said shrouds that the same will not interfere with the action of the lowering device. 7

These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will'more fully appear from the following description made in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference characters refer to the same or similar parts throughout the various views and, in which,

Fig. 1 is a plan view showing the application of one embodiment of the present inven tion to a standard casket lowering device,-certain of the'parts being broken away and certain of the parts being shown in section Fig. 2 is a vertical section taken on the line 2 2 of Fig. 1, as indicated bythe arrows, certain of the parts being broken away and certain of the movable parts being illustrated in full lines in one position and in dotted lines in another position; v 1

3 is a vertical section taken on the line 33 of Fig. 1, as indicated by the arrows, with the end shroud removed from the device;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged view similarto Fig.2

.1927. Serial No. seams.

of certain of the partsof the device with portions thereof broken away;

Fig. 5 is a vertical section taken on 55 of Fig. 4, as indicated by the arrows;

Fig. 6 is a plan view of a type of pawl that the line may be used, certain of the parts being;bro-

ken away;

Fig. 7 is a vertical section taken on the line 7 *7 of Fig. 1, as indicated by the arrows; Fig. 8 is a plan view showingoneof the end shrouds detached from the device; and

Figs. 9, 10 and 11: are detail views of certain'of the parts of the device.

Referring to the drawings, a casket lower- ,ing device of standard-construction is illustrated including corner posts 12, side shafts or rollers 13, end shafts 14 and webbing straps 15 extending between the side rollers 13 and having their ends detachably secured thereto by clips 16. A foot control pedal 17 is used for controlling the lowering of the de- Ivice and a crank 18 for winding up the ends of the Webbing straps 15 onthe side rollers 13 before or after using the device. The lowering device is of substantially rectangular shape and is adapted to be set up and situated end tubes 21, medial side tubes 22, medial over an open'grave, whereupon acasket such end tubes 23 and sockets 24 connecting 'respectivecorner side and end tubes. The corner side tubes 20 are adapted to telescope gitudinal adjustment of the frame, while the within the medialside tubes 22 to permit loncorner end tubes 21 are adapted totelescope within the medial end tubes 23 to permit transverse adjustment of the frame. The sockets 24, as'best illustrated in Fig. 11, are preferably threaded to the ends ofthe corner end tubes 21 and are apertured toreceive the corner side tubes 20. Set screws 25 are provided in sockets24 to hold the corner'side tubes 20 from movement after the same have been placed in a desired adjusted position.

If desired, other types of frame construction may be used.

The corner side tubes 20 have vertical apertures 2O extending therethrough adapted to receive pin portions 26 of vertical arms 26.

vice, extend parallel to the sides of the rectangular frame above described and have telescopic connection with sleeves 28 to permit lengthwise adjustment of the side i rames formed by arms 26, rods .27 and. sleeves 23.

A pairof ratchets 29 are fixed by set screws to each of the side rollers 13 outw'x-rdly from the webbing straps 15. The s. d ra-tchets have a series of teeth thereon, arranged sym metrically in respect to radii of the ratchets. Flanges are provided at each side of the ratchets to provide hubs therefor. Two wings preferably are provided, one of which is adapted to be mounted on each oi the side rollers 13. Each wing comprises two end arms 30, extensions 31 having :a-pertured heads at their inner ends, rods extending through said apertured ends ofezrtensions 31 and asleeve 33 within which the central ends of rods 32 are adapted to telescope. The outer ends of arms 30 are hook shaped and are of channel shape in 'c ress section to embrace the flanged hubs of ratchets 29, the ratchets extending between the sides of the channel portions thereof and the flanges of theratchets projecting :at either side of the ends of the arms. Each arm 36) has a partiti'on 3O closing the inner portion :ofthe channel formed therein and inwardly from parti tion 3O the arm iS'Off hollow squared con struction in cross section to receive the squared extension 31 and to "hold the same in any desired outwardly extended position by means of setscrews 34. A pawl holder is pivoted adjacent the inner end of the channel formed in arm 30 and is provided with a shoulder atoits lower side againstwhich the lower end of a curved bar or equivalent spring 36 contacts, thesaid bar spring hearing against. the partition 30 and against the lower side of the medial portion of the channel formed in arm 30. Holder is provided with a threaded aperture 35 within which the threaded shank portion of a pawl 37 is secured. The pawl 37 is rabheted at its blade end as best'shown in Fig. 6, and a band 33 or resilient-material such as elastic is glued or otherwise secured to the rabbeted. portion of the blade of the pawl. The pawl will normally be held in engagement with one of the teeth of ratchet-29 by the spring 36. Alatch. plate 42having a free end of arcuate shape is pivoted at its other end to the arm .30 and is 1 adapted to be swung to engage with one of .ly pressed.

carry the same downwardly into the grave causing the webbing straps 15 to be unwound the projecting sideflanges oli' ratchet 29 to retain the ratchet in position within the hook shaped bearing portion of the arm.

Side shrouds designated by the numeral 39 are secured'by hooks -10 to the side tubes 20 and 22, are then extended upwardly over rods,27 and 23 of the side frame and are extended over the side rollers 13 and the wings formed by arms 30, extension 31, rods 32 and sleeves 33 and are then allowed to depend downwardly trointhe' wings into the grave. The shrouds 39 are preferably formed from some type of flexible materialsuch as canvas or artificial grass matting and are provider with slits 39 through which the webbing straps 15 are extended. End shrouds 4C1 having slots 4:1- at the sides thereof communicating with apertures al are secured by hooks l0 to end tubesQl and 23 and to the of the webbing straps '15. vThe device is now ready for use at a burial ceremony. The casket 19 is'placed on thewebbing'straps 15,whereupon the foot; pedal 17 is downward- The we ht of the casket will from rollers 13 and causing the rollers 13 to rotate towards each other. As the p'awls 37 are in engagement with the teeth of the ratchet29 and as the major portion of the wings formed by arms 30, extensions '31, rods 32 and sleeves 33 areextended inwardly from the rollers 13, the weight or": the wings will cause the same to be swung downwardly into the grave as the rollers13 are rotat'ed. :The downward swinging movement of the wings will continue until the extensions 31v strike the side walls 01 the grave, whereupon as the casket is further lowered into-the grave, continued rotation of rollers 13 in respect to the wings will be permitted due to the fact that succeeding teeth on ratchets 29 will swing pawls 37 outwardly against the tension of springs 36 'to permit the ratchets 29 to ro tatein respect to the pawls. The resilient bands 38 on the blade ends of pawls 37 will cushion blade portions of the pawls against the teeth of the ratchets' to prevent objectionable clicking noises as the pawls' spring 1 I 39 resting thereover will also be carried 7 As i sent an attractive even surface.

downwardly from a position indicated in full lines, Fig. 2, to the position indicated in dotted lines, Fig. 2, thereby causing theshrouds to line the side walls of the grave. The end shrouds 41 line the end walls of the grave so that after the casket has been lowered, all the walls of the grave will be completely lined to present an attractive appearance and to'cover up all View of the bare earth.

After the casket has been completely lowered and the webbing strapsreleased from the casket, the wings and side shrouds maybe raised as the crank 18 of the lowering device is turned, inasmuch as the springs 36 will hold the pawls 37 against the ratchets 29 causing the wings to be upwardly swung as the side rollers 13 are reversely rotated.

fter use at a burial ceremony, the grave covering and lining device can be quickly disassembled and packed in small compass for transportation or storage. The shrouds 39 and ll can be quickly unhooked from ya rious tubes to which they are connected. The main rectangular frame and the side frames maybe readily takenapart and the wings can be unhooked from the side rollers 13 and disassembled. The ratchets 29 willfbe removable from the lowering device after latches 42 have been disengaged from the flanges of the ratchets. Due to the fact that the frames and the wings are adjustable both-longitudinally and transversely, the grave covering and lining device may be adjusted for use on different sized lowering devices.

To fix the wings in proper position for use, the arms 30 are hooked overtheratchets so that the ratchets will be embraced between the sides of the channel portions of the hooked ends of the arms and the hubs formed by the flanges on the sides of the ratchets will be bearinged on the edges of the sides of the hooked channeled portions. The wings are then swung upwardly and the pa'wl's 87 are adjusted in sockets 85 until they are of the proper length to engage the ratchet teeth of ratchets 29 and hold the wings disposed inwardly from the rollers 13 over thegrave in substantially a horizontal plane. When the wings are so disposed with the webbing straps 15.tightly wound up, thewings will be positively held and cannot sag and the side shrouds supported by the two wings will preedge of the end shrouds L1 will stand at about the same height as the side shrouds so that v the top surface of the lining and covering device will present practically an unbroken appearance.

The apertures 11" in the-end shroudsdl are elongated so that the same end shrouds I may be used when the width of the grave covering and lining device is varied. When the length of the device is shortened,'the sides of thesldeeshrouds 39 may be depended The top downwardly from the ends of the wings. Dueto the fact that the side shrouds 39 are supported from the side frames at a level above the level of the side rollers 13 before being extended over the wings, no binding action will occur between the shrouds and the rollers as a casket is lowered into the grave. The tion and may be quickly set up or removed from a lowering device. It has been successfully demonstrated in actual practice.

It will, of course, be understood that various changes may be made in the form, details, arrangement and proportions of the various parts without departing from the grave to line the walls of the same as a casket is lou-ered therein by said device and to allow continued rotation of said rollers in respect to said means after said means have been downwardly swung. I

2. The combination with a casket lowering device adapted to extend over an open grave and having side rollers rotatable towards each other, of wings mounted on said rollers and adapted normally to extend over the grave, shrouds carried by said wings to normally conceal the grave, and pawl and ratchet mechanlsm connecting said wings with said rollers to permit said wingsand said shrouds to be swung downwardly by said rollers into the grave to line the walls thereof as a casket is lowered thereinby said device, and to aldevice is of simple and cheap construc- IUD low continued rotation of said rollers in ie I spect to said wings after said wings have been downwardly swung. v v p 3. The combination with a casket lowering device adapted to extend over an open grave and having side rollers rotatable towards each other, of means adapted normally to extend over the grave to conceal the same, ratchets secured to said rollers and pawls mounted on 1 said means to engage withsaid ratchets and permit said means to be swung downwardly by said rollers into said grave to line the walls thereof as a casket is lowered therein by said device and to disengage from said ratchets to allow continued rotation of'said rollers in respect to said means after said means have been downwardly swung. v I

4:. The combination with a casket lowering device adapted to extend over an open grave til) and having side rollers rotatable towards each other of wings having hooks at their outer sides adapted to be hookedflover said rollers and adapted to normally extend over said grave, shrouds carried by said wings to normally conceal the grave, and pawl and ratchet mechanism connecting said wings with said rollers to permit said wings and shrouds to be swung downwardly by said rollers into said grave toline the walls of the saineas acasket is lowered therein by said device and to allow continued rotation of said rollers in respect to said wings after said wings have been downwardly swung.

. 5. Thest-ructure defined in claim 3, said pawls being adjustable in length, whereby they maybe engaged with various teeth of said ratchets when said ratchets are in normal fixed position when said lowering device is in raised position, thereby permitting said means to be properly adjusted to be held in substantially a horizontal plane when in nor mal position.

6. The combination with a casket lowering device adapted to extend over an open grave and havingside rollers rotatable towards each other, of ratchets secured to said rollers and having flanges on their outer sides, arms of hook shape at their outer ends and of channel shape in cross section at their outer ends, the outer ends of said arms being hooked over said ratchets so that said ratchets will extend within the channel portions thereof, pawls pivoted in said arms and adapted to beengaged with said ratchets to hold said arms extending inwardly from said rollers over the grave in substantially a horizontal plane when said lowering device is in raised position and to permit said arms to be swung downwardly into the grave by said rollers as the same are rotated when a casket is being lowered into the grave by said device until said arms strike the walls of the grave whereupon said rollers will be permitted to rotate in respect to said arms, and shrouds carried by said arms and adapted to conceal the grave when said arms are in horizontal posi-' tion and toline the sides of the grave whe said-arms are downwardly swung.

7. The combinationwi-th acasket lowering device. adaptedto extend over an open grave.

and ha ving side rollers rotatable towards each other, of wings mounted on said rollers and adapted normally to extend over. the-grave shrouds carried ,by said wings to normally conceal the grave ratchets secured to said rollers and pawls pivoted in said wings and adapted to engage with said ratchets and pei'- mit said wings and shrouds to be carried downwardly by said rollers into the grave to line-the walls thereof as a casket is lowered therein by saiddevice and to disengage from' said ratchets to allow continuedrotation of said rollers 1n respect to said wings after said wings have been downwardly swung.

8. The strueturedefined in claim 7, each of said pawls comprising .a holder portion pivoted to one of said wings and a blade portion carried in said holder portion and :ad-'

justable in length outwardly therefrom, whereby said pawls can be accurately adj usted in length to engage with one of sereral teeth of a ratchet-held in fixed position when said lowering device is in raised position to permit said Wings being accurately extended inwardly from said rollers in substantially a horizontal plane. 9. The structure defined in claim 2, and end shrouds extending downwardly into the ends of the grave to line the end walls thereof.

10. The combination with a casket lowerd'evice adapted to be positioned over an open grave and having side rollers rotatable towards each other, of means adapted to be held normally in substantially a horizontal plane over an'open grave when saidlowering device is in raised position and adaptedto'be swung downwardly into saidgrave said. rollers to substantially a vertical position adjacent the grave walls as a'casket is lowered into the grave by said device, an annular frame surrounding saidlowering device and adapted to rest on the groun'd,side frames extending upwardly from the sides of said first mentioned frame to a position above said rollers and shrouds secured to the sides of said first mentioned frame extending-over saidside frame and over said means into the grave,

said shrouds being adapted to be carried by said means, whereby as a casket is lowered into the grave said. shrouds will be swung downwardly by said means without binding on said rollers to line the sides of the grave.

11. Incombination with a casket lowering device having side rollers and adapted to extend over an open grave. means adapted to be held normally in horizontalv position over said grave and to be swung downwardly into said grave to substantially vertical position adjacent the walls of said gra've,' an annular frame surrounding said lowering device and adapted to rest on the ground adjacent there-- to, side supporting arms extending upwardly over said side frames and into the grave and adapted to be carried downwardly byssaid Ill) at each side of said first mentioned frame to a v means to line the sides of a grave as a casket is lowered therein. a

12.",lhe structure defined in claim '5 springs pressing said pawls against said ratchetsanil resilient strips at the blade ends-of saidpawls for cush onmg saidpawls against said ratchets; V v r 13. The combination with a casket lowering dev ce adapted to extend over an open grave and having side rollers rotatable toward each other, of means adapted normally to extend over the grave to conceal the same and means connected with said first mentioned means and adapted to be engaged with said side rollers to carry said first mentioned means down- Wardly into the grave to cause the same to line the Walls of the grave as said rollers are rotated in one direction and to permit con tinued rotation of said rollers in respect to said first mentioned means after the Walls of the grave have been lined and to engage with said rollers as they are reversely rotated to cause said first mentioned means to be carried out of the grave.

14. The structure defined in claim 3, and means normally holding said pawls against said ratchets to cause said pawls to be engaged With said ratchets as said rollers are reversely rotatedto carry said first mentioned means out of the grave. I

In testimony whereof I affix my signature;

GUSTAF A. STARK. 

